Canadian, Sidearm Left-Handers Join Goldeyes Staff

Dawson was 4-9 with a 6.16 ERA in 18 starts and nine relief appearances last season for the Double-A Eastern League’s New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto Blue Jays’ organization). The Fort McMurray, Alberta native struck out 62 batters in 111.0 innings pitched, which marked the third consecutive year in which Dawson threw 100.0 or more innings. Dawson allowed four or fewer earned runs in 13 of his 18 starts, and walked three batters or less in 15 of them. The 24-year-old left-hander pitched all of 2016 at Double-A New Hampshire, finishing tied for fifth in the Eastern League with 10 wins, and allowing two or fewer earned runs in 17 of his 26 starts.

“I’m pleased to add both Shane and Ross,” said Goldeyes’ manager Rick Forney. Shane has been a really successful starter in his career with the Blue Jays. Shane hit a little bump in the road last year, and I’m hopeful we can get him back to being the guy he was from 2014-16.”

Dawson was originally drafted by the Blue Jays in the 17th round in 2012 out of Lethbridge Community College (Lethbridge, Alberta). The 6-foot-1, 215-pound Dawson is 36-29 with two saves and a 4.04 ERA in six seasons of professional baseball. Dawson has finished with an ERA of 3.38 or lower in four of his six pro seasons, and has held opposing left-handed batters to a .240 average (499 at bats). In 86 career starts, Dawson has walked three batters or less in 76 of them. Dawson was a member of the Canadian National Team that captured the Gold Medal at the 2015 Pan American Games, and represented Canada again during the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

Photo: MiLB

Vance split time with two St. Louis Cardinals’ affiliates last year, combining for a 2-6 record with one save and a 5.14 ERA in 61.1 innings for the High-A Florida State League’s Palm Beach Cardinals and the Double-A Texas League’s Springfield Cardinals. The McKinney, Texas native struck out 64 batters, while allowing just one home run. Vance did not allow an earned run in 25 of 37 relief appearances, and pitched more than 1.0 inning in 17 of them. 19 of Vance’s 35 earned runs allowed came in four appearances totaling five innings pitched. The 26-year-old Vance posted a 2.56 ERA in his remaining 56.1 innings.

“Ross has a really good mix of pitches, and has shown the ability to strike guys out,” said Forney. “He could end up being a really valuable piece to our bullpen.”

The Cardinals purchased Vance’s contract from the United Shore League’s Birmingham-Bloomfield Beavers in June of 2016. The 6-foot, 180-pound left-hander was assigned to the Rookie Appalachian League’s Johnson City Cardinals where he was 3-0 with a 2.48 ERA and 54 strikeouts (40.0 innings pitched). During his first two seasons of professional baseball, Vance has averaged 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings, while holding opposing left-handed hitters to a .204 average. Additionally, Vance has won a championship in each of his first two pro campaigns (2016 with Johnson City and 2017 with Palm Beach). The sidearm throwing Vance played three seasons of college baseball at West Virginia University (Morgantown, West Virginia) where he was a combined 17-11 with a 3.91 ERA for the Mountaineers from 2014-16 before signing with Birmingham-Bloomfield.

The Goldeyes now have 26 players under contract for the 2018 season. American Association clubs may carry up to 28 players during spring training, which begins May 5th.